Letter of the week: Gary Hollis, Mellons Bay
Satellite cities work best when different geographical features suit the needs. San Francisco is a good example, where you have a hilly side of the harbour suited to housing taking advantage of the views and Oakland on the other side offering large flat areas for industry and commerce.
Auckland has similar unique regions offering a similar choice. If North Shore had its own airport, container wharf where the naval base is, and focused on its own industrial park, we wouldn't have the ridiculous and unnecessary conveyance of half its workforce crossing to and fro over the bridge on a daily basis.
The North Shore, as an independent satellite city, could take advantage of more economic use of land; more individualised and concentrated governance suited to its unique geographical features; encourage more localised entrepreneurship; and also bring with it, a much closer journey of workers to their place of employment. A reduction of congestion on arterial routes and a reduction in greenhouse gases and global warming would be a bonus.
Dammed juggernaut
John Roughan (Weekend Herald, June 11) should be compulsory reading for all New Zealanders who give a damn about the future supply of fresh water and the disposal of storm and foul water.
A great number of rural properties will never know the benefits of the proposed supply and control of water. These properties will continue to do what they have done in most cases for more than one hundred years, control their own water needs with great success. As for the rest of New Zealand's population, we will pay dearly to have the resource supplied to our homes, and the unwanted water removed.
We frequently think councils are inept, but the juggernaut which will be created to control the future supplies of water will soon make us plead for the return of councils' stewardship of nature's most valuable gift.
Bruce Kay, Hillsborough
Ramble on
Reading the pipe-dream of turning Queen St into La Kiwi Rambla (Weekend Herald, June 11), I believe Simon Wilson has finally lost the plot. The only similarity is that they are both tourist traps designed to part person and wallet, financially and/or physically.
La Rambla is two roads, each about as wide as Queen St, with pavement in the middle and on each side. It is roughly twice the total width of Queen St, giving the feeling of space. In comparison, Queen St is a strip mall, like Manurewa or Papakura could be after money has been spent on them, flanked by glass monuments to corporate greed and completely devoid of character.
That is the problem. There is nothing in Queen St that we can point to and say "this is us"; hasn't been since Santa and the Neon Cowboy left.
What is there quite rightly now caters only to international students and cruise ship passengers, which is why it is a little empty at present. Kiwis have gone elsewhere. I've worked in the CBD at various times and I can say I've only ever used Queen St as a means to get somewhere else more interesting.
Mike Diggins, Royal Oak.
Merchants of menace
Anthony Williams from NSW (Weekend Herald, June 11) hit the nail on the head regarding New Zealand's driving culture. I wonder if he was aware he was driving in a country with the worst road deaths in the OECD?
Nothing is going to change until the entire driving culture is turned around and New Zealand drivers learn some road rules and courtesy. It will not happen by just talking about it.
Police are tied up with more important things, especially in Auckland.
We already have technology that needs more wide use, and not only to dish out fines. As penalties increase, licences should be confiscated for a major period of time until the driver can drive in a civilised manner.
Williams says he feels lucky to have survived his trip to New Zealand. I'm glad he did.
I just wish those with the power would take more notice and act.
Arthur Amis, Red Beach.
Heard fairly
If Genevieve Ford (Weekend Herald, June 11) thinks Amber Heard's loss to Johnny Depp has anything to do with money, she needs to think again. Evidence was produced by Depp's team showing Heard assaulted Depp. It was also proven she lied under oath. There was a tape heard in court where Heard admitted assaulting Depp.
During the trial, she also admitted the op-ed was about Depp.
Heard is lucky she hasn't been charged with perjury. Her testimony changed from what she said during her deposition and her evidence was easily discredited. Heard has also previously been charged with abusing a former partner, it's all a matter of public record which was raised during the trial.
The case was won on facts and overwhelming evidence, not man's money.
Men can also be victims of domestic violence.
Mark Young, Ōrewa.
Zero thinking
Writers such as Joseph Hamblett (Weekend Herald, June 111) acknowledge issues such as overpopulation but seem to think our obsession with fossil-fuelled cars and "necessary material good" is immutable and therefore green energy will not suffice.
But where would abandoning net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, as he suggests, leave us? Surely well on way to hell, with or without handcarts, which we may resort to by then anyway.
Marshall Piercy, Devonport.
Side boards
David Spears (Weekend Herald, June 11) says he has not voted in the local body elections since the formation of the Auckland Council as he believes local boards are ignored.
I can sympathise with him.
As a former Councillor and now a member of the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board, I can appreciate the frustrations that my fellow board colleagues feel.
Local board members are too often left in the dark unaware of happenings within our community.
It seems councillors are given preferential treatment in the dissemination of important information. It's time for a change.
George Wood, Forrest Hill.
Afforded justice
Adding to Hans Grueber's comments on adversarial justice (Weekend Herald, June 11), upwards of 50 per cent of cases before the courts are "litigants in person", meaning no legal aid and no legal representation.
One very senior judge described them as a "rag-tag, rag-bag cohort". Yes, you can have access to the system but no guarantee of accountability by the system. As someone else sagely concluded: "it is not a justice system, it is just a system".
Time to overhaul this repugnancy?
Tony Kaye, Hamilton.
A quick word
"Go hard or go home" bumper stickers are an indication of why New Zealand driving has a bad name. No amount of education will change that attitude. Anne Martin, Helensville.
Single houses are replaced with multiple terrace houses. Plans quickly changed to three storeys. Our sunlight is blocked and solar panels are in the shade. What happened to town planning? Nishi Fahmy, Avondale.
Putin is comparing himself with historic Russian Tsar Peter the Great. I think Vlad the Impaler is more fitting. David Feng, Torbay.
Our Pacific Island neighbours need look no further than Hong Kong to see what happens when China takes control. Geoffrey Booth, Te Puke.
Any doubts that Fox News still adheres to its "fair and balanced" stance were dispelled by the failure to screen the proceedings of the Congressional Inquiry into Trump's part in the January 6 Capitol riot. Larry Mitchell, Rothesay Bay.
Labour announces a new initiative to get truant kids back in school. Very commendable except it consists of policy changes - not one, single extra person to go and find the missing kids. Steve Dransfield, Karori.
Your columnist Derek Cheng (WH, June 11), seems unable to connect the dots. Labour is losing the law and order debate, crime is rampant, shootings are out of control and the prison population has dropped by 30 per cent. Neville Cameron, Coromandel.
In our prisons, how many are Australian-born? Philippa Gravatt, Epsom.
I am so reassured that Adrian Orr is "working in the framework of Tane Mahuta, God of the forest and birds" with the hope of receiving some wisdom on the tedious economic and financial issues which only affect the people. June Kearney, West Harbour.
How can probably the most undiplomatic member in Parliament ever, Trevor Mallard, now be in line for a senior overseas diplomatic post? Mike Baker, Tauranga.
Congratulations to Kiri Allan for calling out DoC on a tokenistic approach to te reo. In my opinion, DoC also has a tokenistic attitude toward conservation. Jerry Rees-Webbe, Mangakura.
The Queen St we could have written by Simon Wilson (WH, June 11) was spot on. But have we got anyone running our city with enough guts to plan, push and achieve something as beautiful as La Rambla? Susan Lawrence, Meadowbank.
Does anyone seriously believe that adding two or more layers of bureaucracy will deliver one single improved drop of water to New Zealand's population? Roger Bale, Pukekawa.
The Water Services Entities Bill is because Labour needs Māori Party support at the next election, and joint ownership of water rights is a bottom line for that support. Neil Hatfull, Warkworth.
It is not surprising there is a labour shortage. It is painfully obvious they are all working for the public service. Robert Reece, Opito Bay.
Maybe a name change and relocation for the Warriors is due? I suggest the Philippines and a name change to Manila Folders. Garry Wycherley, Awakino.